1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to methods and systems for processing tomatoes, and more particular to methods and systems for processing tomato for the production of chunk products.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tomato processing for production of a chunk tomato product verses juice production is currently and has historically utilized a variety of different steps, including but limited to, peeling, cutting/chopping, thermal procedures, and packaging with seeds. Seeds are known to produce off flavors and are visually non-appealing to the end consumer. Over the years numerous attempts have been made to remove seeds from chunks after cutting. All attempts have been unsuccessful.
With current methods of tomato processing, tomato essence is retained in the juice that is liberated during the cutting/chopping step. The tomato essence must be retained during the deseeding processes. However, methods employed to date to deseed reduce the amount of tomato essence. To be cost effective in the tomato industry mass flows are very high. Methods to date that have attempted to deseed have had a negative impact on the flow rate. Additionally, tomatoes are very sensitive to the introduction of unnecessary shear. Shear reduces product size and liberates excessive juice and tomato essence. Methods utilized to date for deseeding have not proven to be successful because they impact tomato product desirability, and reduce tomato essence.
There is a need for improved methods and systems for producing seedless chunk tomato products. There is a further need for methods and systems for producing seedless chunk tomato products without effecting flow of product. There is yet another need for methods and systems for producing seedless chunk tomato products while preserving tomato essence and without introducing shear.